Congress leader DK Shivakumar landed himself in the eye of a storm on Saturday after the Karnataka unit chief was caught on tape slapping a party worker after the latter touched him on the shoulder.
In the video that went viral, DKS can reportedly be heard saying, "What is this behaviour at this place? I have given you freedom, but that doesn’t mean you can do this".
The leader was roundly called out for his role his purported high-handedness, despite his defence that his reaction was prompted by concerns for Covid-19. DKS, however, is not the first political leader in India to have gone "viral" for slapping others.
Here are five netas who beat DKS.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan infamously slapped his bodyguard during a campaign rally in Sardarpur in 2018. The BJP leader offered no explanations for his behaviour and continues the rally. Later reports claimed that the bodyguard had been nudging him repeatedly, thus provoking the reaction.
Babul Supriyo
Former union minister and BJP leader from West Bengal Babul Supriyo landed in controversy when a video of him allegedly slapping a man inside a party office in Kolkata went viral in March. Supriyo allegedly got agitated after the man repeatedly kept asking him to participate in serious on-ground campaigning ahead of the elections. The BJP leader later denied slapping the man and said he had only been gesturing in the video.
Ramchandra Avsare
BJP leader Ramchandra Avsare from Maharashtra slapped an on-duty police constable inside a police station in the presence of other police officers. The reason? The constable had been arguing with Avsare's driver over a biking rally.
K Siddaramaiah
Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister slapped a man outside Mysuru airport in 2019. The incident occurred after the man, who had been standing near the leader while the latter was addressing a press conference, kept trying to get him to talk on the phone.
D Revathy
Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress' leader D Revathy was caught on camera slapping a toll-plaza worker in December last year. The latter had allegedly stopped her after the leader refused to pay the toll.
Asha Kumari
Congress leader Asha Kumari slapped a woman constable in Shimla in 2017. The latter had reportedly tried to stop the Dalhousie MP from entering an event being held. Upon being slapped, the constable also slapped Kumari back.
Suresh Lad
Nationalist Congress Party MLA Suresh Lad went on a spree in 2016 when he slapped not one but two government officials in Maharashtra's Raigad. The slaps followed an argument over a land acquisition issue.
Ramila Khadiya
Police constables seem to be one of the favourite targets of irate netas. In June 2021, Independent Rajasthan MLA from Kushalgarh Ramila Khadiya reportedly slapped an on-duty head police constable in Banswara. The incident reportedly occurred after the constable stopped a biker during a weekend curfew and the latter called the MLA who arrived on the spot and began quarrelling with the constable. Following the assault, a case was filed by the police against the independent MLA.
